Collapsable roof for preassembled building

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the invention is to provide a system for using normal and high-pitched roofs for buildings preassembled in boxlike units at a factory and transported to the building site over the highway or other means, wherein low road clearances and other restrictions prohibit the use of assembled units exceeding a certain height and width. The invention permits the roof, which otherwise would exceed the height limitation, to be unfolded after delivery at the building site in such a manner that it will assume the desired position with a minimum of site labor. The system is not limited to any particular structural, roof deck, or roofing material nor to a building of any particular size or number of stories.

I United States Patent [15] 3,638,373 Chapman Feb. 1 1972 [54] COLLAPSABLE ROOF FOR 3,070,850 1/1963 McClure ..52/96 X PREASSEMBLED BUILDING Primary Examiner-Frank L. Abbott [72] Inventor. Grosvenor Chapman, Washington, DC. Assistant Examiner sam Burke [73] Assignee: Chapman & Miller Architects, Washing- Attorney-Morton, Bernard, Brown. Roberts & Sutherland ton, DC.

22] Filed: July 31, 1969 [57] ABSTRACT The purpose of the invention is to provide a system for using [21] Appl 846551 normal and high-pitched roofs for buildings preassembled in boxlike units at a factory and transported to the building site [52] US. Cl ..52/92, 52/79, 52/64 1, over the highway or other means, wherein low road clearances 52/645 and other restrictions prohibit the use of assembled units ex- [51] Int. Cl. ..E04b 1/32, E04b 7/ l6 ceeding a certain height and width The invention permits the [58] FIG!!! of Search ..52/92, 645, 641 roof which otherwise would exceed the height i i i to be unfolded after delivery at the building site in such a manner [56] References cued that it will assume the desired position with a minimum of site UNITED STATES PATENTS labor. The system is not limited to any particular structural,

- roof deck, or roofing material nor to a building of any particul,232, 1 l 7 Aronson lar ize or number of stories I 2,642,825 6/1953 McElhone et al.. ....52/641 3,404,496 10/1968 Ballard ..52/641 X 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEUFEB um 3,53 7

sum 1 0F 5 lcr PATENTEU FEB 1 1972 $638,373

SHEET 2 0F 3 I I l l l I l F I i I COLLAPSABLE ROOF FOR PREASSEMBLED BUILDING The invention will be further described with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a section showing the building with the roof collapsed;

FIG. 2 is a section showing the building with the roof raised;

FIG. 3 is a section with an alternate form of roof;

FIG. 4 is a detail section of the roof eaves;

FIG. 5 is a detail of the roof and purlin member;

FIG. 6 is a detail of the roof temporary support, and;

FIG. 7 is a detail of the ceiling joist.

FIG. 1 shows a section through a preassembled box in the position it will assume during transit with the roof folded and roofing in place, except that for certain types of roofing material the roofing will be omitted along the horizontal rows over hinges g and h and at the roof ridge i (see FIG. 2). When the box has been delivered to the site or lifted into place, the roof will be raised and unfolded into place by crane or other lifting device to assume the position shown in FIG. 2.

Labeled on FIG. 1 and 2 are the principal structural components of each frame or truss supporting half the roof, each of which will be sized and spaced according to engineering practice. The members are described as follows:

A. Lower portion of rafter or truss compression member covered with roof deck and roofing.

B. Opposing chord compression member.

C. Upper portion of rafter similar to a, supporting ridgepole at i.

D. Temporary support spaced as required to support half the roof until it has been connected permanently to the other half of the roof shown dotted on FIG. 2.

E. Optional roof eave.

F. Ceiling joist or tension chord of the truss.

FIG. 3 shows an alternate double-slope roof design which can be produced by the same invention.

The following procedure will be used to unfold the roof and raise it into position (see FIG. 1).

Step I: Hoist member a by grappling purlin 1 until member b falls into place (see FIG. 2 and 5) against 1.

Step 2: (See FIG. 1) Hoist member c by grappling ridge member 1', rotate it about hinge h and lower it into position shown on FIG. 2 or 3, and temporarily support it with member d (see FIG. 2).

Step 3: (See FIG. 1) Rotate optional roof eave e about hinge g until it falls into position shown in FIG. 2.

Steps 4, 5 and 6: Follow the same procedure for the other half of roof at left of FIG. 2 or 3, so that members 0 of FIG. 4 illustrates hinge g which permits optional projecting eave e to be lowered into place and self-positioned. Eave e may or may not have the gutter affixed at the factory. The joint between a and f is designed so that a will rotate about the strap supported bold j to assume the designed slope and provide a firm bearing for member a.

FIG. 5 shows transverse purlin member I which incorporates a ledge upon which member b falls into place and rests after member a is raised from transit position, FIG. I, to final position, FIGS. 2 or 3.

FIG. 6 shows ridge member i at a point arranged for insertion and withdrawal of the special grappling device m. This device consists of a length of rope, chain, or flexible cable terminating in a metal plate, which when laid parallel to the un' derside of the ridge members as shown will permit the ridge to be raised and lowered and which, when the rope, etc., is slackened, can be passed through the opening between ridge members and thus removed.

FIG. 7 shows strap supported bolt k and notched ceiling joist which operates in similar fashion to connection at bolt j.

I claim:

I. A preassembled building having a collapsible roof coma. pan of boxlike structures each structure having a floor, a vertical outer wall, a vertical inner wall and a ceiling joist;

b. Said boxlike structures abutting at said inner walls;

0. Above each boxlike structure a collapsible roof comprising a roof deck and roofing attached thereon;

d. Said roof deck attached to a plurality of parallel folding trusses each truss consisting of an upper and lower rafter member;

e. The lower end of the lower rafter rotatably attached to the ceiling joist;

f. The upper end of the lower rafter and the lower end of the upper rafter rotatably attached at a purlin;

g. The upper end of the upper rafter terminating at a ridge member at the top, and abutting the corresponding upper rafter of the opposite boxlike structure;

b. An interlocking compression member, the lower end of the member rotatably attached at the inner wall of the box below;

i. the upper end of the compression member supporting the rafters at the purlin.

Whereby during transit said roofing structure is collapsed onto said ceiling joist.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said upper rafter is steeper than said lower compression truss rafter thus making a roof of increased height and pitch.

3. The structure of claim I including an outer eave hinged on the lower compression truss rafters at the junction of the outer edge of the roof joist. 

1. A preassembled building having a collapsible roof comprising: a. A pair of boxlike structures each structure having a floor, a vertical outer wall, a vertical inner wall and a ceiling joist; b. Said boxlike structures abutting at said inner walls; c. Above each boxlike structure a collapsible roof comprising a roof deck and roofing attached thereon; d. Said roof deck attached to a plurality of parallel folding trusses each truss consisting of an upper and lower rafter member; e. The lower end of the lower rafter rotatably attached to the ceiling joist; f. The upper end of the lower rafter and the lower end of the upper rafter rotatably attached at a purlin; g. The upper end of the upper rafter terminating at a ridge member at the top, and abutting the corresponding upper rafter of the opposite boxlike structure; h. An interlocking compression member, the lower end of the member rotatably attached at the inner wall of the box below; i. the upper end of the compression member supporting the rafters at the purlin. Whereby during transit said roofing structure is collapsed onto said ceiling joist.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said upper rafter is steeper than said lower compression truss rafter thus making a roof of increased height and pitch.
 3. The structure of claim 1 including an outer eave hinged on the lower compression truss rafters at the junction of the outer edge of the roof joist. 